On Sept. 10, more than 50 citizen lobbyists representing 15 national nonprofits and organizations gathered on Capitol Hill for the first My Health Alliance lobby day, which was organized by the Organic & Natural Health Association.

The My Health Alliance was formed in 2024 at Organic & Natural Health’s annual conference to unite trade organizations across health and wellness sectors and lobby on a united front. Founding members include Alliance for Natural Health, the American Grassfed Association, Moms Across America, Organic Consumers Association, Natural Grocers, and SENPA .

“This lobby day represents a landmark event in the natural products industry,” said Karen Howard, CEO and executive director of Organic & Natural Health. “For the first time, so many groups are walking into Congress together with one purpose: to push for policies that improve the health of families and strengthen the wellness of future generations.”

Participants at the lobby day included representatives from Organic & Natural Health, Americans for Homeopathy Choice, Natural Grocers, SENPA, American Herbal Products Association, GrassrootsHealth Nutrient Research Institute, Power Up Nursing, Organic Consumers Association, the Non-GMO Project, Moms Across America, WholeFoods Magazine, American Grassfed Association, Beyond Pesticides, IFOAM Organics International, and the Holistic Council.

The advocacy agenda included pesticide reduction, GMO elimination, and trade protections for botanicals. The central focus this year was a maternal vitamin D initiative, which calls on members of Congress to: establish a federal program for active-duty military maternity care, ensuring access to vitamin D testing and supplementation; fund federal-state partnerships to expand maternal vitamin D programs nationwide; and update national standards for vitamin D intake during pregnancy to reflect modern science.

Research shows that 89% of pregnant women have suboptimal vitamin D levels, with 31% clinically deficient. Current guidelines, based on 2011 standards, recommend intakes far below levels that have significant associations with a reduced risk of preterm birth, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and other complications, Organic & Natural Health reports.

“Maternal health in America is at crisis levels, and vitamin D deficiency is a preventable, under-addressed contributor to complications in pregnancy and infant development,” said Howard. “Congress has an opportunity to save lives and lower healthcare costs with one simple, evidence-based step: securing sufficient vitamin D for all pregnant women.”

The lobby day concluded with a congressional reception, hosted with the assistance of Rep. Vince Wong (R-CA), where more than 200 congressional staff and members of Congress gathered to learn more about issues presented by My Health Alliance, and to have their own vitamin D levels tested by the GrassrootsHealth Nutrient Research Institute.